Back to school and getting organised without breaking the bank.

[candybar]

Hi,

I'm a mum of three school aged children, I work term time only and am out of the house from 8:30 - 5pm almost everyday, I was finding it so difficult to get a decent hot meal prepared and get housework, washing and reading etc done. I was spending a fortune on quick food and ready meals, just to get by.

I'm determined to start as I mean to go on and get organised in this new school year.

Can anyone give me any tips or advice? I have the following in mind, but any other ideas will be appreciated,

Dust off the slow cooker, prepare either the night before or if I'm up early enough in the morning, one of my children really isn't keen on casserole type meals but he's just going to have to deal with it. Any other meal ideas for the slow cooker?

I've been considering buying a dry soon heated airer from Lakeland, chucking the washing on it before leaving for work, this should also save money as the hourly running is only pennies.

Two youngest are having school dinners everyday and ds will take a small packed lunch that he will put together himself (he is at secondary school). This should help in the morning rush to get out of the door.

After that I've come to a blank, what tricks does everyone else have?

Thanks.

Sorry, are you a single mum or is there a DP to help out with chores at all?

Could you batch cook some meals at the weekend & put them in the freezer? Lasagne, Bolognese, curry etc.? The trick with that is just remembering to get something out of the freezer before you go to work .

Salads are quick to prepare & can be varied slightly from person to person to accommodate tastes.

I agree with the batch cooking, I often have a stew on one hob, chilli on another, spuds boiling on yet another and so on, I can normally get a couple of weeks worth of meals in the freezer within a couple of hours. I find home made mash freezes just fine and saves me time having a few tubs in the freezer. I also make Friday night pizza night also quick burger type meals on a Saturday night. Online shopping could be your friend, save you time and money. Allocate the kids a couple of jobs each? the eldest to hoover and dust once a week, youngers to make sure the toys are put away by 7pm, that kind of thing. Oh, and I never, ever iron, not ever! no need, out of the machine, good shake and hang properly, total waste of time ironing.

Could the older one have school dinners then you could do more of a lunch tea/ jacket pots, omlette, soup and rolls, quiche and beans.
Def follow advice and cook some meals up at the weekend and freeze. Spag bol keeps well in the fridge.

Batch cooking is life saver here we don't cook for freezer but on one weekend day have something that makes 2-3 dinners so curry spag bol cottage pie cowboy pie etc etc n freeze extra.

Some Sundays we have chicken eat half n then marinate other half in whatever sauce n serve with wedges or chips Mon or Tue night.

We also have quick meals egg n chips. Fish cakes with rice n veg. Sausages n mash.

I find it's organisation. Deciding what to eat the night before so getting the chicken/mince/chops etc out of the freezer. My lot aren't keen on food in sauces or pasta so that limits me. I do simple meals like sausage mash and veg. Cottage pie (as dry as possible so the fussy ones will eat it)! Roast chicken or tandori style chicken with rice. That needs thinking about though as marinate and stick in a ziplock bag in the fridge. Falafel or meatballs in pitta with wedges or salad. Peri peri chicken. I cheat and use a bottle of sauce from the supermarket. Once a week we have fish finger and chips type dinner. Adults usually have those frozen haddock fillets in batter. With peas.

I buy enough unifier that I don't have to worry about washing in the week. Shoes polished on a Sunday and put in hallway. School bags packed, lunches made the night before when I'm tidying up from dinner.

I iron once a week in Sunday afternoon.

I do ask the dc and h to help but they usually take longer or don't do it how I want so most if the time I just get on with it myself and give h and the dc other jobs to do such as hoovering washing what won't go in the dishwasher, assembling the rest of the packed lunches.

I love the 'no ironing' idea! Not sure I would get away with not ironing DH's work shirts though .
Some great ideas. I meal plan and do an online shop once a fortnight. I like the idea of batch cooking and freezing. I don't do that but may start.
I am getting my slow cooker out, for the first time in months, tomorrow.
Get the kids to help with small jobs!

A chicken done in the slow cooker is lovely

We cook a roast on Sunday and then use half next day with rice.0n Sunday I also make a Bol or a chilli. I mean to batch cook but never do ! Then on wed have a simple meal such as egg and chips or sausage n mash. We have a quick pasta pesto veg and pulses on thur and Friday is a no cook night - take away , pizza etc. we have fruit at every eve meal on the table .

Ps I do v little ironing but tend to do it whilst roast is doing. We also do a monthly on line shop for thing s like loo roll , part baked bread, shampo, tea , tinned stuff and then do an aldi dash once a week for fresh stuff and sainsburys for a few bits esp nice bread .